Ratha's Challenge

“In some ways, Ratha's Challenge is classic first-contact science fiction, with True-of-voice and his face-tail hunters as aliens. Physically the face-tail hunter resemble the Named, but have very different minds. I have long been fascinated with how human minds and conscious awareness began. When I found Julian Jaynes idea that early civilized humans had minds that were divided in two (bicameral, meaning literally 'two houses') and existed in a dream-state rather than our present self-awarenesss, I found my inspiration. His book, The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, theorized that, in order to focus on long-lasting tasks, humans internalized the commands of a leader or god (deified leader). These directives became a 'god-voice' from a 'god' part of the mind, speaking to the 'human' part in poetry and song.

“What better contrast to the fiercely individualistic Named than beings that exist in a semi-trance, directed by the internal song derived from their leader? What greater challenge to a writer than to depict an encounter between such strangers and Ratha's clan?

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Join other Named Series fans on the Ratha Series Forum. Hunt up information in the Fire Den, read the new Twitter creation, "Ratha's Island", or strut before the clan to introduce yourself in the Fire Dance.